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Senate votes to allow licensed handgun carry in national parks:

Sixty-seven Senators voted for the Coburn amendment, which says that persons can carry firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges to the same extent that they are allowed to carry by state law. All Republicans except Alexander (Tenn.) voted for the amendment. So did Independent Bernie Sanders (Vermont), and 27 Democrats. Including, I am proud to say, both Udall and Bennett of Colorado.

The amendment was attached to H.R. 627, the credit card legislation. The version of H.R. 627 passed by the House did not have anything like the Coburn amendment, but the 67 votes in the Senate (including a number of Senators who had been rated “C” or below by the NRA), indicates that the House would overwhelmingly support the proposal. Indeed, given that the anti-carry even lost Senators who had an “F” from the NRA, the House vote in favor might well go over 300.

Along with the widely-supported amendment (to the bill that would give D.C. a vote in the U.S.) to reform D.C. firearms laws, there is now a rather large number of Democratic Senators who are exceeding expectations, and on their way to earning much-improved grades on their next NRA report card. With the notable exception of Sen. Gillibrand, who appears to be doing her best to turn her 2008 “A” into an “F” for 2010.